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MinuteClinic Scores Highest Rating for Testing and Treatment of Pediatric Sore Throats in 2006 Health Care Quality Report

Posted on: Monday, 20 November 2006, 15:01 CST

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The new MN Community Measurement 2006 Health Care Quality Report suggests that patients should have a high level of confidence in the quality of care delivered at MinuteClinic health care centers in the Twin Cities.

MinuteClinic was one of two Minnesota health care providers included in the report to receive a 100 percent rating for pediatric pharyngitis or "sore throat." Among providers participating in the report, the overall rating for appropriate testing for children with sore throats was 81.9 percent. The report is available at http://www.mnhealthcare.org/.

The ratings are based on the percentage of children from ages 2 to 18 who were diagnosed with pharyngitis during the measurement year (2005 dates of service), prescribed an antibiotic on or within three days of the episode date and received a group A streptococcus (strep) test - from three days prior to three days after the episode date. A higher score represents better performance and appropriate testing practices. MN Community Measurement collected the data from health plan claims.

Measurements for 60 health care providers, ranging from large medical groups such as Park Nicollet Health Services and Mayo Clinic to private Minnesota pediatric practices, were included in the sore throat category.

"Pharyngitis is the most common condition we treat," said James Woodburn, M.D., MinuteClinic chief medical officer. "These results reflect the expertise and clinical experience of the board-certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants at MinuteClinic and the extraordinary measures we have taken to ensure the highest level of clinical quality at our health care centers throughout the Twin Cities."

There are 21 MinuteClinic health care centers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in CVS/pharmacy stores, Cub Foods stores and additional retail and office locations. Most MinuteClinic locations are open seven days a week including weekday evenings.

MinuteClinic health care centers are staffed by board-certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants who specialize in Family Medicine and are trained to diagnose, treat and write prescriptions (when clinically appropriate) for common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. MinuteClinic also offers common vaccinations, such as flu shots, tetanus, MMR, and Hepatitis A & B.

"Every MinuteClinic patient assessment and treatment follows nationally established clinical practice guidelines from the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics that are embedded in our electronic medical records system," said Dr. Woodburn.

To further ensure quality, MinuteClinic's National Clinical Quality Advisory Council brings together preeminent health care leaders from a variety of specialties and backgrounds to contribute clinical guidance and continuous quality improvement ideas to MinuteClinic services.

About MN Community Measurement

MN Community Measurement is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to improve the quality of health care in Minnesota. Founded by the state's health plans and the Minnesota Medical Association, MN Community Measurement is a broad-based, community-wide collaborative that works with health plans, medical groups, employers and consumers to prompt systematic change aimed at improving patient outcomes. Information in available at http://www.mnhealthcare.org/.

About MinuteClinic

Minneapolis-based MinuteClinic is a subsidiary of CVS Corporation, the leader in America's retail pharmacy industry with more than 40 years of dynamic growth. MinuteClinic launched the first retail health care centers in the United States in 2000 and is the first provider to establish a national presence with more than 100 locations across the country. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to consumer demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. The company has completed nearly 600,000 patient visits with a 99+ percent customer satisfaction rating. A recognized leader in the patient-centric health care movement, MinuteClinic consistently brings innovation to the marketplace and sets new standards for clinical quality that exceed the national guidelines established for store-based clinics by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). MinuteClinic is the first and only retail health care provider to receive accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.minuteclinic.com/.

MinuteClinic health care centers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area are operated by MinuteClinic Diagnostic, P.A.

MinuteClinic

CONTACT: Brent Burkhardt, +1-410-986-1303, bburkhardt@tbc.us, or NicoleAtkinson, +1-410-986-1317, natkinson@tbc.us, both of TBC Public Relations forMinuteClinic

Web site: http://www.minuteclinic.com/http://www.mnhealthcare.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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